ATKINS - A team must be doing something right when it has more points than the number of offensive plays it ran during a game.

Atkins did just that Friday night, needing only 38 plays to clinch a state playoff berth as the Red Devils rolled to a 40-6 victory over Clinton at Lemley Field.

Jonathan Cathey ran the ball only six times but turned in a 204-yard performance with two touchdowns. Brandon Dodd also added a 64-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, then closed out Atkins' scoring with a 64-yard touchdown reception, causing the "sportsmanship rule" to go into effect for the final seven minutes.

"It wasn't the most beautiful picture out there," Atkins coach Charlie Sorrels said. "We're a big-play offensive team. If the defense guesses right on what we're doing, then it doesn't look so good. But if the defense guesses wrong, then we get a big play and make them pay for it."

Cathey set the stage for Atkins' first score with a 42-yard punt return to the Clinton 28. After hauling in a 29-yard pass from Brandon Horn, Chuck McCoy scored on a 3-yard run, and Dodd's kick gave the Red Devils (7-1, 5-0) a 7-0 lead with 8:10 left in the first quarter.

Atkins' offense sputtered on its next two possessions, resulting in a punt and a fumble on its 31. Cathey, however, forced a fumble with a jolting hit on Clinton tight end Adam Flemings, then turned the turnover into points five plays later with a 38-yard touchdown run with four seconds left in the first quarter.

The Red Devils' next scoring threat ended when Brandon Horn threw his first of two interceptions. On Atkins' next possession, however, Cathey rambled 68 yards to the Clinton 2, and McCoy scored on the next play, making it 20-0 as the PAT failed with 4:15 before halftime.

"We had too many turnovers offensively," Sorrels said. "I never want to have four turnovers in any situation, but one of the interceptions was freaky. But Brandon Horn threw the ball great, and our backs ran hard. Those things just happen sometimes.

"But I really liked the way our defense played. A good wing-T offense can sometimes give a defense fits, but our players were aggressive and attacked out there. We bent a time our two out there, but we came up with big plays when we needed them, both on offense and defense."

Dodd took his turn at scoring on Atkins' opening possession of the second half, bolting through Clinton's defense with a 64-yard run to paydirt, with McCoy's two-point conversion making it 28-0 with 7:40 remaining in the third quarter. The Red Devils' second fumble, however, kept the margin from growing on their next possession.

That wasn't the case on Atkins' third play of the final period as Cathey bolted down the right sideline, then used key blocks to cut across the grain for a 73-yard touchdown run for a 34-0 cushion with 10:33 remaining. Dodd then capped the Red Devils' scoring when he caught a pass from reserve quarterback Cody Martin, broke from two tackles and bolted 64 yards for his second touchdown.

Clinton then avoided a shutout when Kelby Bonds hit Blake DeJesus with a 25-yard touchdown pass and added a two-point conversion with 2:36 remaining.

Atkins returns to 5AAA action with a game next week at Subiaco Academy.